Bonjour from France!

If you've been reading my blog in the last week, you'll know I've been soaking up the French sunshine, while my blog was kindly taken over my Olivia and Poppy from DollySnowFlake. I went with my family over to France on the ferry, and spent lots of time touring Northern France - and obviously my first visit to PARIS!!!!! (ahh). I would definitely recommend France for a holiday! Our usual family holiday just consists of a hot country, a pool and not doing very much, but in France there's so much to see and do - it was fab!

I'm also doing an extra post of my visit to Paris - for first timers, as a newbie myself, it was quite a challenge finding your feet in such a beautiful (but vast) city!

One impressive fact from the holiday was myself and my sisters ability to spend a week together without any major cat fights!

During the trip, we visited lots of fishing ports and beaches around the Somme coast of France. Every where we went we were tempted by the yummy ice creams, French baguettes and mussels! Sadly there wasn't the same optimism to try the snails - maybe next time? We also visited the city of Amiens, which is very beautiful and where I realised my love of cake!

 Here's a few tips if your going to France for the first time:
1. Try and learn a few phrases, in some areas, nobody speaks English, and it can be quite a problem when trying to read restaurant menus and ordering food!
2. Take a wardrobe that's suitable for all weather, it's hot in France, but it can rain too!
3. Take a Sat-Nav, you'll need it, the roads are easy to use, but getting lost isn't hard.

4. If your on a budget, take everyday supplies with you, as everything is more expensive in France!

Every night we ventured out to a local village, took a guess at something from their very French menu (I knew no French before hand) and watched the sunset - it was so beautiful! We walked along the promenade and touched on some evening entertainment - though having a very full belly, Zumba on the beach didn't really appeal to me..

For the week, we stayed in a Eco Village called Belle Dune, which was complete with its own water park, gold course and had activities running everyday. The village consists of little colourful houses, which line up around the lake in the centre - it was too cute!

Well now you know where I've been hiding the last week! France is such a beautiful place, and if you wanted to do something a little bit different for your summer holiday I'd definitely recommend it!

Later there will be a post up from my day in Paris, so look out!

Lots of Love,

Sporting for Summer: Sports Direct Beachware Review...

Hello! Today's post is all about getting sporty during summer, so I hope you enjoy!

It's great to do lots of sports during your summer, especially when most term time activities aren't on during the holidays. However, one problem on holidays is that you want to by sporty and get involved in activities, but want to feel great while doing it! Sports Direct contacted me to let me know about their specially selected Women's Beach/Swimwear Collection, which offers the best of comfort for summer sports while looking fab too - PROBLEM SOLVED!

I chose to put together a few items, which I loved from the collection, to show you I'm not just ranting on again about nothing, and I'll be offering a little discount for you too, if you fancy getting yourself something from the Sports Direct website!

 

The first item I chose was a pretty floral patterned top, which was reduced to £5.99* in the sale. It's the perfect length to throw on over a bikini or pair with shorts. I loved the pattern, as it reminded me of surf style, and the bow detail at the front makes it look pretty on, too! This top is long enough to wear around the pool as a dress, or pair up with trainers for a game of tennis.

The bag was also £5.99* in the sale, and it great for carrying your beach towel while your on holiday! It's vibrant colour is great for summer - and will make it easy to see where you've left your stuff when your doing your 'Baywatch' scene back from the sea... 

Finally, I picked out some black shorts for £5.99*, which are easy to tug on after a full day of activities and are lightweight to carry in your bag! They have an elasticated waistband which makes them super comfortable!

 

What I'm Wearing: Top/Shorts/Bag - Sports Direct*, Belt - Primark, Floral Crown - Primark, Flip Flops - Havaianas.

Overall I was really impressed by the range of clothes Sports Direct are selling this season, there's  something for everyone! I'll be posting a discount code for you later, so keep a look out!

Oh and if you were wondering where the tent came from - it's my sisters birthday today, and she had a 'camp out' last night with some friends. I thought I'd get some relevant photos with it, before it was taken down and our garden restored to normality! ahhaaha!

Lots of Love,

'Wish you were here' (Vacation 2013: day 1&2)

Hello!

Around two weeks ago, I jetted off with one of my besties, for a girly week away to the beautiful island of Mallorca! It was a week of fun and a well deserved break. It was also a great distraction from the looming 'results day' yesterday - which I've managed to scrape though without any epic exam fails (thank the lord!).

But before I rant off about the cruel system of A Level exams, I'll stay focused on a few photos from the holiday! Enjoy :)

Day 1...

 We set off far to early on a Saturday morning, dressed in our comfys and boarded our Jet 2 flight - which I can now strongly recommend as a great affordable airline! The short flight gave me chance to chill out, with my latest copy of the Company Magazine in hand!

 When we arrived at our hotel, we were pleasantly surprised, to find complimentary refreshments had been left for us, which was a lovely treat to get the day started!

 Our first evening was spent drinking cocktails, and walking along the beech! Seeing as my legs were still very white, I opted for a lovely patterned maxi dress from Primark.

What were wearing:
Me: Dress - Primark, Sandals - Clarks, Bag - Market.
Sarah: Dress - New Look, Floral Crown - Claire's, Sandals - Primark

Day 2...

For our second day, we decided to try out the beech, and try a new mode of transport - WATER SOFA. This basically involves holding on for dear life, onto a giant rubber sofa, while being towed through the sea at high speeds. It's lots of fun, but I'd recommend suitable swimwear, as you can end up with a giant wedgie!

With a slight case of sunburn, I opted for my evening dress with lots of patterns, to distract from my bright red cheeks (thought I'm not sure it worked..). Sarah also wore another beautiful floral maxi dress, and we both tried the "Let my hair do what it wan" approach!

What were wearing:
Me: Dress/Belt - Primark, Shoes - Clarks.
Sarah: Dress - New Look. 

 Well that's the first of my holiday posts, I've got lots of other photos to share with you - including my first speed boat ride!

Lots of Love,

how to turn pale skin - tanned (without being a tangerine...)

In case the title didn't give you a big enough hint, today's post is quite simply my attempts to turn my pale skin to a moderate tan (well for me anyway...).

If your pale skinned, you'll know most fake tans (etc) have a probability of making you go a lovely orange colour - and personally that's not my ideal look. After years, and I mean years, of caking myself in the wrong colours, I've finally found the first signs of hope - thanks to Dove.

Dove's tinted moisturiser is a real gem, you can apply it gradually over a few days, just like moisturiser and it gives you a fresh and smooth covering of gradual tan. It's my secret weapon during summer months, and stays on in water - so no horror swimming pool moments! I also use mine with a Vaseline essential moisturiser, which is great to keep your skin soft and silky!

Dove tinted moisturiser, is currently around £4.99 in most stores, but you can get a bottle from Boots for half price at £2.50, so its not a major problem if you decide it's not for your skin!

A few Tips when buying fake tan for Pale Skin:

1. Always make sure you check the colour range (e.g. don't get a product that says it's for dark skin).
2. Test it first on a small section of your skin, to see if your happy with the colour, before you cover yourself in it!
3. Don't just stick to one style of fake tan. It's good to use other methods of applying a tan, like spray bottles!
4. ENJOY FINALLY HAVING A TAN!

Well that's all from me, I've got lots of school work (boring) to get on with...

Lots of Love,

Enjoying the Great British Sun Shine..

Hello!

Today's post is a mix of everything I probably should have posted BEFORE I wen't on holiday last week (whoops). But, as I'm finally back, I'll be posting lots of outfit photos, taken while I was away soon, so make sure you check them out too!
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In the last few weeks, I've been spending lots of time enjoying the British sun shine, on some lovely day trips! Since my last post, I've been: trekking around Snowdon National Park for 5 days with a group of great girls - fully kitted in outdoor walking kits (that's right) and spending a few days hunting down every charity shop in my local region and eating plenty of chocolate ice cream!

Before I post a few photos to sum up what's been a lot of fun, I'll warn you, there won't be any photos from my Gold Duke of Edinburgh, as it wasn't necessarily a fashionable experience...

So in temperatures that nearly exceeded my 25 degrees target, me and my two friends Lauren and Sarah, ventured out to a local market town, for a day of rummaging through second hand shops (a very productive way to spend a saturday). I managed to sneak a few purchases, along with several iced drinks, which we enjoyed while sitting by the river.

What were wearing: 

Lauren: Printed Shorts - Miss Selfridge , Top - Next, Bag/Shoes/Hat - Peacocks , Glasses - RayBan.
Me: Top - New Look, Shorts - River Island, Belt & Sun Glasses - Primark, Sandals - Clarks.
Sarah: Top - New Look, Shorts - River Island, Shoes - Dorothy Perkins, Necklace - Boots.

My little purchases inclue this lovely pink skirt which was £2.50 from a charity shop, that I'm hoping to pair with a crochet skirt I hunted down for €10 while I was on holiday.. 

It's great to enjoy local towns and cities when the weathers nice, as it feels like your a million miles from the usual rainy UK! It was a lovely day, and I recommend hunting down some local attractions to fill your holiday of fun while the weather is nice.

I've got to catch up on some all important Zzzzzz's, so I'll speak soon...

Love

you'll find me chasing the sun...

Hello,

I’m currently writing today’s post from my lovely (tidy) desk, feeling like a proper journalist, in my work placement, where I've been hiding the last few days! 

Most students my age, will be spending every second of their summer, eating, watching TV and sleeping. With the exception to watching the White Queen (because I love it) and my usual 8 hours dosage of sleep, my summer is somewhat hectic! At my work placement I've had the opportunity to write articles (make of that what you will) visit clients and answer the dreaded telephone! While picking up on the daily running’s of a magazine, I've managed to get lots of tips for working in the industry, which I found really helpful! And I only have my little blog to thank for it.

But before I bore you, lets get to today's post!

As you know, I'm a proud member of the OASAP blogger program (check their awesome website out here). Each month I get the opportunity to review a product, and this month I've chosen to review a b-e-autiful boho skirt, that's perfect for summer holidays and festivals!

Today's outfit was a little combination I put together, after happily receiving a parcel from OASAP this morning. The skirt, is currently $29.93 in the sale - You can find it here. It's a beautiful boho style chiffon skirt, which is perfect for holidays and days in the sun. It's a really diverse dress, and you can style it in many ways. It would look beautiful with some high wedgies, or stay casual with some converse (why not?). I love the pattern - it's fab, but  OASAP also have the same skirt in a few different patterns. 

I combined the skirt, with a crop top from New Look (which is on offer at 2 for £8) and a wardrobe classic denim shirt from Primark - that's great for covering up on a chilly evening! The Sandals were from Clarks and are amazingly comfy, and the necklace was also from New Look - and just adds a finishing touch to the outfit. My leather bag was a thrifty market purchase (and a kind present) from my Auntie, and is the perfect size to carry a few necessities in. 

What I'm Wearing: Skirt - OASAP, Top - New Look, Shoes - Clarks, Jacket & Sun Glasses - Primark, Necklace - New Look, Bag - Market Purchase. 

My sister's improving on her photography skills, so if anyone needs a photographer - I'm training her up well! So thank you Lydia for today's photos!

I've also been a little bit brave (for me) with my choice of makeup for summer. I'm touching up my eyes up with a bit of blue eye shadow, to prove I'm not always painting my face in the same way. However, I can't promise this will last...

Before I bore you with my rant's, I'll sign off for today,

Lots of Love,